Yuma Marine aims for the moon as NASA astronaut candidate

A Yuma Marine shoots for the stars after she fulfills her dream of becoming an astronaut.

Jasmin Moghbeli, a helicopter pilot at the Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, is one of twelve NASA astronaut candidates of the class of 2017. Moreover, Moghbeli is one out of eighteen thousand applicants to be selected for the first candidate class since 2013. Moghbeli said she dreamt of becoming an astronaut since the sixth grade. Furthermore, she said she feels lucky to see her dream become a reality. “I never once remember thinking as a kid, ‘Oh, I can’t do that, I can’t become a pilot because I’m a girl,'” Moghbeli said. “I think that’s what we should strive for – For no one to question that they can do what they want to do.” A New York native and MIT graduate, Moghbeli will report to Houston on August 21, where she’ll begin her journey as an astronaut alongside her classmates. Many ask Moghbeli – What’s her message to kids who aspire to reach big dreams? “If this is something you want to do, it’s going to take work,” Moghbeli said. “Everything worth it can be challenging and there are going to be bumps along the way, but do what you love and push through the hard times because it’s worth it.” “I guarantee it was for me.”